Punjab Newsline | Shimla
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday invited private investors to participate in the state's ropeway development plans, emphasizing that ropeway projects remain a key priority for the government despite their high implementation costs.
Speaking during the Question Hour of the Monsoon Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, the Chief Minister said the government is keen to expand ropeway connectivity across the state, particularly in remote and tourism-rich areas. He noted that several projects have faced delays due to financial constraints and regulatory approvals.
Sukhu revealed that a proposed ropeway project in Shimla had been assessed at an estimated cost of nearly ₹2,700 crore during the tender evaluation process. Owing to the massive expenditure involved, the government decided to scrap the project.
Chief Minister informed the House that the state cabinet has recently discussed promoting ropeway projects through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and External Aided Project (EAP) models. He added that the government is considering limiting PPP concession periods to 30–35 years to make investments more attractive while ensuring long-term public benefit.
Inviting private players to invest in Himachal Pradesh, Sukhu said the government currently has around ₹1,200 crore available for infrastructure development and is ready to collaborate with investors willing to participate in ropeway projects.
He stressed that the government's focus is on connecting inaccessible regions and developing unexplored tourist destinations through ropeway networks, which would improve transportation and strengthen the tourism sector.
Chief Minister also assured legislators that efforts would be made to expedite approvals under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), a major factor behind delays in infrastructure projects in the hill state.
During the discussion, BJP MLA Sudhir Sharma sought details about the Himani Chamunda Ropeway project and asked whether a ropeway link between Kyori and Billing was being considered. Sukhu responded that both the Shimla and Himani Chamunda projects had been awarded to a private company, but no significant progress was made over the past four years.
Chintpurni MLA Rakesh Kalia also raised concerns regarding improving facilities related to the Chintpurni Ropeway project. Chief Minister assured the House that the suggestion would be examined in consultation with the Deputy Chief Minister and reiterated the government's commitment to expanding ropeway infrastructure across Himachal Pradesh.
